Article - Office of College Advancement

Ohlone board to appoint new addition

Fremont—Ohlone College board members Wednesday will name one of six candidates to fill the seat recently vacated by longtime Trustee Dan Archer.

Before naming the individual, the board will ask six predetermined questions of the candidates during a public group interview. Audience members will not have an opportunity to ask questions.

"We had the League of Women Voters and the Community College League of California submit potential questions. We took some of their questions, and of course, from our own local board members. … We think we have a pretty wide range of questions," said board President Nick Nardolillo, who will moderate the event.

The candidates, who also will have an opportunity to give opening and closing statements, are:

Charles Bellavia, a high-tech business consultant who wants to increase corporate donations to the college. Bellavia lives less than a quarter-mile from Ohlone.

Jan Giovannini-Hill, a Cal State East Bay administrative analyst who ran unsuccessfully against Trustee John Weed in November. She would like to see more gender equity in the all-male board.

John Kitta, an attorney who has served on the Alameda County Board of Education and dealt with land-use issues. He wants the college to expand television-broadcasting classes and offer rewards to students who refer others to enroll at the school.

George Mathiesen, a supervisor at the University of Santa Clara Department of Education and former secretary of the college's bond oversight committee. Like other candidates, he wants to ensure completion of bond projects and address the Mission Boulevard frontage property.

Robert Tavares, a real estate broker/appraiser and property manager who has been involved in the selection process for a developer for Ohlone's frontage property. He wants to address deferred maintenance and to improve the college's curbside appeal at its two gateways.

Trisha Tahmasbi, a case field representative for state Assemblyman Alberto Torrico, D-Newark, who is interested in having the college partner with private businesses and develop programs to recruit women, Latinos and African Americans into technical fields.

In addition to their oral responses Wednesday, the candidates have submitted written answers to 15 other questions, available online at http://www.ohlone.edu/org/board.

On Wednesday, trustees will whittle down the list of six candidates by individually listing their top three choices. It's likely the votes will be read out loud, and once the board has determined its top three or so candidates overall, trustees will take another vote.

"We'll see who's left standing, and we'll go from there," Nardolillo said.

The appointed person will be sworn in at a future meeting and serve as trustee until November 2008.